Fan Fiction ❯ A Raven Like No Other ❯ Chapter Fourteen: “The Three Strikes Of The Beast” ( Chapter 14 )

Chapter Fourteen: “The Three Strikes Of The Beast”

 

(Forty-Five Minutes Later)

Robin, Starfire and Cyborg had just returned back to Titan Tower. They wasted no time in returning and looking for Raven after receiving news that all of her emotions were kidnapped from the tower. The very notion that Beast Boy alias G.L. the Primal planned the whole thing out placed all of them on full alert. Entering the common room, the Titans came to see Raven levitating off the floor Indian style chanting her three popularly known words in an undertone while holding onto her cracked antique mirror in her hands.

“Raven,” Starfire called out to her with worry. Raven opened her eyes and set her feet back on the ground as she turned to face the others. In a monotone she asked, “Were Jinx and the others dealt with?”

“They managed to escape before the cops arrived,” Cyborg explained, “They had everything planned out from the beginning, especially since Beast Boy or Primal as they called him masterminded the whole thing.”

Robin interjected, “We'll worry about those three some other time. Right now we have bigger matters to worry about. (Turned to Raven) Raven, you told me that all of your emotions were taken. Did Beast Boy do this?”

Raven simply nodded. What surprised the Titans was that from the looks of the common room, nothing looked damaged or out of place, as if it was the way they left it.

“Judging from the way this place looks it doesn't seem that much of a fight took place here,” Cyborg acknowledged.

“I'm aware of that,” Raven retorted, “Knowing Bravery, Vengeance, Cunning and Justice, they wouldn't go down or be taken without a fight.”

“But Beast Boy still managed to abduct them somehow,” Starfire said. Raven sighed, “...I know. And I stake my life that Rage is at the center of this.”

“Rage,” Robin asked, “For what purpose would she want to have your other emotions abducted?”

“That's what I intend to find out...,” Raven replied as she started walking towards the exit with her mirror still in her hand, “Tonight.”

“Tonight,” Starfire asked. Raven continued, “Rage was the one who masterminded the whole thing and had Beast Boy carry out her plans, using Gizmo, Jinx and Mammoth as ploys by death threats. She's planning something big and whatever it is, we have to put a stop to it before it happens. And like I said earlier, I know where she is.”

Robin asked, “Where?”

Raven briefed them on the coordinates before they took to flight into the air in the T-Ship. After all preparations were made, the four Titans readied to themselves for departure.

“Titans, Launch,” Robin exclaimed as the ship took off from the landing dock and into the air from Titan Tower. While in the air, Cyborg asked, “Yo Raven, how d'ya find out Beast Boy and Rage were hiding up in the mountains of all places?”

“Don't ask,” Raven answered, “The reason is...rather personal.”

Cyborg didn't press on as he and the others flew on to their destination. All the while, Raven kept thinking about how to get her emotions and the old Garfield Logan back. If anything, she was determined to set matters right again, as were the others.

Don't worry Garfield, Raven sincerely thought in her heart, I'll free you and get the old you back.

 

(All The While Elsewhere)

Knowledge soon shook her head and opened her eyes. Upon opening them, she found that she and each of her counterparts were encased in red, floating hollow energetic spheres. Fear and Timid had their cloaks wrapped tightly around them like two frightened children. Lazy was slouching down in her sphere in a sleeping fashion as if she could care less about her and the others' situation. Knowledge found that her laptop was still with her in her holding sphere.

“I see that you've finally awakened,” said a sinister dark feminine voice. Knowledge turned to see Rage standing on the ground looking up at her. Knowledge retorted sourly, “Rage, what an unpleasant surprise!”

“I trust your arrival here was anything but pleasing,” Rage replied back.

“Let us out you four-eyed meanie,” yelled Happy while banging her fists against her holding sphere.

“Can't do that,” Rage answered, “I have plans for you all.”

“Whatever it is,” Love interjected, “Neither I nor the rest of us want any part of it!”

“Too bad,” Rage said, “Because you have no choice in the matter.”

Beast Boy walked in stood next to Rage. Seeing his arrival, Rage turned to Beast Boy with a malicious smile.

“The Jewel of Confinement I gave you worked like a charm,” Rage complimented while holding the handball sized, glowing sanguine colored ruby in her left hand, “Well done my faithful pet.”

“He is not your lackey or your pet,” Lust exclaimed, “Release your hold on G.L. now!”

“You're in now position to be telling me what to do you slutty little bitch,” Rage retorted.

“Let me out and I'll show you how much of a bitch I can be,” Lust challenged. Bravery jumped in, “Let us all out and we'll give you a fight to remember!”

“The offer's tempting but I'll decline,” Rage said, “Now shut the fuck up!”

“What do you plan on doing with us,” Curiosity asked. Rage gave an evil smile, “I have plans involving Raven, G.L. and all of us here. But all that will be revealed in good time. Till then, enjoy the remaining time you have left.”

“Don't count on the success of your plans so soon Rage,” Love shot back, “Trigon and Slade and so many others were stopped by the Titans and you'll be no different! You WILL be Stopped! Mark my words!”

With the Jewel of Confinement in her hand, Rage levitated up to Love's holding sphere and stood in front of her. With a hateful expression radiating from her four red eyes, Rage said, “I detest you.”

Using the power of the ruby, Rage thrust her right fist into the sphere and punched Love straight in her face. After being knocked back from the assault, Love rubbed where she was struck while Rage was chuckling with a menacing smile.

“You'll get yours soon Love,” Rage said as she landed back down on the surface. Once on her feet, Rage turned and started walking off. She gestured to Beast Boy to follow her as she said, “Come along Garfield. We have other lives to ruin.”

The duo walked off from the scene leaving the rest of Raven's emotions alone in their prison spheres. Turning to Knowledge who was sitting Indian style with her laptop on her lap, Sarcasm asked, “Hey, brain mistress, got any plans in getting us out of this damn mess and freeing B.B.?”

“Currently,” Knowledge admitted as she adjusted her glasses, “I got nothing.”

“Gee,” Sarcasm remarked, “Weren't you a great deal of help.”

“Oh shut up,” Knowledge retorted.

“It's up to Raven and the others to stop Rage from whatever it is she's planning,” Cunning commented.

“Let's just hope that she and the others can stop her on time,” Enlightenment said, “And free Garfield from Rage's control.”

 

(A While Later; Somewhere Up In The Mountainous Region)

The T-Ship arrived in the forest region up in the mountains. Soon the ship touched down on the surface and the Titans dismounted from the ship. From the looks of the forest, everything appeared peaceful.

“I'd have expected a location more gothic and dark as my best guess,” Cyborg commented, “This is the last place I'd expect to search for Rage. I see now why this place would be a good hiding location.”

“Be that as it may,” Raven interjected, “But don't take anything for granted. With Beast Boy here in these woods, expect anything.”

“The guy's green,” Cyborg said, “He can't be that hard to distinguish from the other animals here.”

“Like I said,” Raven retorted calmly, “Expect anything.”

“Raven's right,” Robin spoke, “With Rage and Beast Boy working together, who knows what they'll do.”

“So where do we start searching,” Starfire asked.

“We'll split up in four directions and search around,” Robin suggested, “Give a signal if any of you come across something vital.”

Everyone nodded and dispersed in the selected directions. Unknown to them was that all four of them were being watched by two figures.

“Looks like Raven and her three friends have arrived,” Rage said.

“What will you have me do my dark mistress,” Beast Boy asked. Rage answered darkly, “Deal with her three friends. But don't kill them...yet.”

Beast Boy nodded and went on his way. The corrupt emotion smiled evilly while watching Beast Boy's departure...

 

Everyone has been search through the forest separately for quite some time now and so far they came across nothing out of the ordinary. Cyborg was getting restless and annoyed by this.

“This is really starting to get on my nerves,” Cyborg complained, “This whole day have been nothing but trouble.”

Cyborg started thinking about his run in with Jinx earlier that day in the city.

“Would Beast Boy really have killed her,” Cyborg asked aloud himself, “And if he did, how would I have taken it? Why am I even thinking about this anyway? Jinx is a criminal and I'm a Teen Titan who's half man and machine! Such a relationship would never work!”

The thought of Cyborg having no one to be intimate with angered him to the point that he punched his fist into one of the trees, hard enough to imprint his fist into it. He breathed in and out to calm himself down and control his emotions and thoughts. It was true, Cyborg saw, everyone in Titan Tower has someone to connect to; Robin has Starfire, Raven has Beast Boy, and Cyborg had...no one.

“Now I know how Raven felt feeling left out believing there's no one to understand and connect with you,” Cyborg said to himself.

“Dude...such drama,” said a voice. Cyborg turned to the source of the voice and saw Beast Boy, still in his ascended form and appearance coming his way.

“Ever considered building yourself a girlfriend,” Beast Boy mocked. Cyborg exclaimed with widened eyes, “Say What!”

“If you like,” Beast Boy continued, “I can capture Jinx for you and persuade Chang into turning her into an android like how Brother Blood did with himself.”

“You'll do no such thing,” Cyborg stated firmly. Beast Boy went on, “Why not? I know you still have a thing for her although you won't verbally admit it. But hey, at least if you turn her into an android then you won't feel so lonely anymore. I'm just looking out for your best interest like the good friend that I am.”

“You're not my friend nor are you the real Beast Boy I know,” Cyborg said, “The real Beast Boy would never even consider doing something that horrible to anymore.”

“And what would you know about the “real” Beast Boy,” Beast Boy asked. Cyborg answered, “That he's more of a man than you'll ever be.”

“Look who's talking,” Beast Boy mocked, “You're only less than half the man you'll ever be!”

Angered by his comment, Cyborg morphed his arm into a cannon and fired it dead-on at Beast Boy, sending him flying straight into a tree. After hitting the ground, Beast Boy rose and stood up and said with a laugh, “O.K.! Now THAT I respect!”

Charging at him, Beast Boy and Cyborg starting fighting with each other, exchanging one blow after another.

 

(Elsewhere)

Raven, still holding her mirror in her hand, was walking through the woods trying to detect any energy readings from Rage. For a moment she heard a sound that came from the right of her. She was about to run towards that direction when her eyes caught sight of something moving through the trees. Looking closing, she saw a familiar figure running through the trees from her sight.

“Rage,” was all Raven said as she began her chase after the elusive dark emotion.

 

(Meanwhile)

Starfire and Robin regrouped with each other and coming across nothing of any use.

“Find anything,” Robin asked.

“Nothing.”

That was when they heard the sound of an explosion.

“It came from that direction,” Starfire exclaimed.

“That's where Cyborg is!”

The couple ran and hurried over to where Cyborg was. It was bit of a while before they arrived on the scene, only to see Cyborg and Beast Boy going at it in a fierce fight. Pulling away from Cyborg, Beast Boy turned to see Robin and Starfire looking on at them.

“What a lovely sight,” Beast said cooly, “The Boy Wonder and his woman. Thanks for saving me the trouble of hunting you both down!”

“Friend Beast Boy,” Starfire cried, “Please, we do not wish to fight or harm you!”

“That's a damn pity,” Beast Boy retorted, “Because I'm under orders to have you three dealt with.”

“We don't want to fight you,” Starfire said, “Fight this control that enemy Rage has on you!”

“You talk too much,” Beast Boy said as he morphed into a large bull and rushed at her to ram her head on.

“Starfire,” Robin yelled her and ran and tackled Starfire out of the raging green bull's way. The green bull turned to the couple and readied to stampede at them again. Pulling out his metallic Bo-staff, Robin readied himself to use it on Beast Boy.

“Just come and try it,” Robin dared while hold his staff tightly in his hands. With a roar, Beast Boy charged at the Boy Wonder at full throttle. At the right timing, Robin dodged the assault and slammed his Bo-staff onto Beast Boy hard head. Beast Boy went crashing down into the ground, seemingly being knocked unconscious.

“Is it over,” Starfire asked. That was when Beast Boy's body shrunk and sank into the ground and out of sight.

“O-K,” Cyborg said, “Now what?”

After a few minutes of silence, a giant creature burst forth from the ground. It was the same monstrous three-tongued brownish green worm creature Beast Boy morphed into earlier (A/N: remember the giant worms from the movie “Tremors”). Robin, Starfire and Cyborg weren't able to hold back a look of terror as they screamed (A/N: if you can picture them terrified anime style, now is the time).

“What the fuck is that,” Cyborg yelled.

“Must be the monster Gizmo spoke about earlier,” Robin confirmed with a scream. Beast Boy, while in his monstrous form, launched one of his tongues at Robin and wrapped it around his left leg, knocking him off his feet and dragging him toward its mouth. On seeing this, Starfire started pummeling Beast Boy with star-bolts like heavy rain. It didn't seem to have any affect until she decided to fire her star-bolts at his tongue. She hit his tongue with one of her star-bolt, immediately causing Beast Boy to release his hold on Robin as his tongues retracted back into his mouth. He morphed back into his human form and looked at Starfire angrily.

“Damn you,” Beast Boy roared before he massaged his tongued, “You'll pay for that!”

Before Starfire could give a reply, Beast Boy turned into a gorilla and ran towards her. Robin however, took his Bo-staff and started throwing kendo moves at him with his staff. Beast Boy managed to block and evade most of the attacks when Cyborg body crashed into him, knocking him down off his feet. Starfire, Cyborg, and Robin regrouped as they turned to the direction Beast Boy was throw in as he stood back on his feet and returned back to his human form.

“I think I've played around with you three long enough,” Beast Boy said, “Now I fight for real!”

“Fight for real,” Cyborg repeated in a question form. Beast Boy turned to Robin and seeing the metallic Bo-staff, Beast Boy then formulated a plan. Running over to Robin in a way that would easily allow Robin to strike him with his staff, Robin held his staff and swung it at Beast Boy. Upon being struck however, Beast Boy's body burst into fluids of amebas with the staff going through it.

“HUH,” was all Robin could say as the fluids morphed back into Beast Boy who was now holding the other end of the staff with his left hand while Robin was still holding his end of it.

“Lights out Boy Blunder,” Beast Boy said as his eyes morphed momentarily into that of a particular eel. That was when Robin felt energy voltage traveling through his body, giving out a scream of pain before falling to the ground unconscious after his grip on his staff faded out.

“ROBIN,” Starfire and Cyborg cried out after seeing their leader taken out of the fight. Beast Boy stood over him with his foot on his back and said, “Relax you two. He's not dead...at least not yet. He's out of the fight so That's Strike One!”

“Give me back boyfriend Robin,” Starfire yelled.

“Make me,” Beast Boy challenged. Starfire charged at him and powered her eyes for an optic beam attack. After charging her eyes, Starfire fired her beam straight at Beast Boy knocking him away from the unconscious Robin and into a tree. She started raining star-bolts down on him after he got up and made a run for it with Robin's staff still in his hand. She chased after him with Cyborg following close by as he aimed and fired his sonic beam cannon at Beast Boy.

“Look like we got him on the run,” Cyborg shouted. Just then, Beast leaped into the trees and started jumping from one tree to another with keen agility and speed. Starfire flew up and around the trees to catch up with him. That was when Beast Boy dropped the Bo-staff and jumped into her direction and morphed into a rhinoceros. Before Starfire could counter the attack however, Beast Boy while in his huge rhinoceros form, headbutted into her at full throttle, and plunged her through a tree, knocking the tree down and finally hard into the ground, forming a crater into it. The battered Starfire immediately fell unconscious from the aggressive assault, leaving Cyborg as the only one left.

Turning back to Cyborg, Beast Boy morphed back into his human form and picked up the Bo-staff that he dropped to the floor earlier then said, “Looks like we're right back where we started. I must admit I'm a bit disappointed. I thought that with the three of you fighting together that I'd at least be given more of a challenge. That's Strike Two!”

“Shut up,” Cyborg yelled as he fired his cannon at Beast Boy repetitiously. Beast Boy however managed to evade every last one of his attacks with polished movements. Beast Boy now started running from Cyborg who was intending on taking him down. After running a good distance, Beast Boy stopped where he was and saw Cyborg running towards him. Cyborg then stopped running and started walking cautiously while stepping into shallow swamp waters. Beast Boy was looking at him with a calm expression while holding the Bo-staff in his right hand.

“Why'ja stop running,” Cyborg asked, “Decided to face up to me like a man?”

“That,” Beast Boy said with a sinister smile, “And to lure you into a trap.”

“What,” was all Cyborg was able to say when Beast Boy's morphed into an electric eel momentarily. Charging the staff, Beast Boy struck it into the swamp water, sending voltages of electricity through the water, electrocuting Cyborg in the process. Cyborg gave out a loud cry of pain before he fell into the shallow swamp water unconscious. Beast Boy walked over to the motionless Cyborg and said, “Strike Three! You're Out!”

 

(A While Later)

Raven was still chasing after Rage until she finally caught up to her.

“There's nowhere else to run,” Raven declared. Rage countered, “For you anyway. You're with no one to help you now.”

With a gesture while holding onto and using the power of the Jewel of Confinement, three red energy stakes descended low enough from the air, each of them holding one of the unconscious Titans with their hands hanging over their heads. Raven looked up and gasped.

“Robin, Starfire and Cyborg,” Rage said as Beast Boy entered from behind her and knelt down next to her at her right. Rage started caressing his head with her right hand, running her fingers through his hair while saying, “I had my ever loyal green pet deal with these troublesome trio while I kept you occupied.”

“Damn you,” Raven swore. Rage said, “Don't be that way. I have plans for you and the rest of my counterparts.”

With another gesture while using the power of the ruby, Rage summoned all of the hollow energy spheres to her. Raven looked up to see that each of the spheres contains one of her emotions. With narrow eyes, Raven looked at Rage and asked, “What are you planning?”

“I plan on consuming these useless emotions and absorbing their powers into myself,” Rage explain darkly, “When that's done, I'll infuse myself back into you and awaken a newer and darker version of yourself, one filled with nothing but hatred, fury, corruption and the ever thirst for destruction! After we merged into the new dark Raven, we'll bring about a whole new era of darkness and terror upon the Earth and all humanity, the like of which that no one has ever seen! We'll succeed where Trigon has failed! And when that happens, we'll need mighty man by our side...And Garfield Logan will be that man! Together, we'll have all of mankind, the Teen Titans and the Justice League begging for mercy! This present world will be no longer!”

“You must be out of your goddamn mind if you think Beast Boy or myself will play a part in this madness,” Raven answered strongly, “I'll stop you, free the others and get Garfield back!”

“Of course you'll get Garfield back,” Rage said, “After I merged and completely corrupt you!”

“I'm really sickened by the sight of you,” Raven retorted hatefully.

“Why,” Rage taunted, “Because I embody everything you wish you could reject out of your being? Be true to yourself, a part of you will always desire the sensations of darkness and the suffering of others! Just Like Garfield Logan here, who too has a part of himself that thirst for primal savagery, animalistic aggression and barbaric animosity. Just to name a few of the many things him and I can relate to.”

“Tell me something,” Raven interrogated, “Why did you choose this spot for your dark ritual?”

“Isn't it obvious,” Rage retorted,“What better location can there be than the one place both you and Garfield secretly hold sacred? It's the perfect spot for us to bring about a new beginning...the era of the New Dark Age!”

“Such an era will never come about,” Raven stated strongly, “Not tonight! Not tomorrow! NOT EVER!”

“And why not,” Rage questioned.

“Because you won't get your way with him, with my emotions or with me,” Raven declared with still holding onto her mirror, “Not without a fight!”

“So it's a fight you want is it,” Rage said, “Fine! I'll just have to beat my senses into you!”

Rage handed the Jewel of Confinement to Beast Boy then gestured to him to step back. After he did so, Rage clenched her firsts at her sides with her red cloak covering her and started powering up with a dark aura around her. She soon grew in size with dark large black energy tentacles grown from under her red cloak. Looking down at Raven, Rage proclaimed darkly with an inhuman voice, “Rage will consume you!”

Raven placed her cracked mirror down on a flatten rock then started powering up with a black aura of her own around her with her eyes consumed in glowing whiteness. Beast Boy, Love, Desire, Lust and all of Raven's other emotions and personalities, including Lazy, were all awake with their eyes on Raven and Rage. Indeed, a good fight is about to take place...

 

 

 

TBC